1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscopic apparatus which includes an endoscope and peripheral device to which the endoscope can be detachably attached.
2. Description of the Related Art
The light source for an endoscope is required to supply light to a light guide and is essential to the endoscope. Further, in the case where the endoscope is a so called electronic endoscope, in which the image is transmitted via electric signals through a solid state image sensor, a video processor for accessing video signals from the solid state image sensor is also essential to the endoscope.
Such support devices such as the light source and video processors described above are themselves expensive and large in size, so an endoscope is detachably attached to such a support (peripheral) device so that various types of endoscopes may be used with a single support device.
Not only is an endoscope susceptible to wear, but it is also inserted into the human body and it is therefore necessary to check the endoscope every 100 hours or once every 50 to 100 uses in order to keep it in perfect working order.
However, since various types of endoscopes are applied to a single light source, a single video processor or the like by replacing one endoscope with another as stated above, it is impossible to calculate the amount of time or the number of times that every endoscope is used with a single light source or a video processor.
Therefore, it is unknown how many hours or how many times each endoscope is used after its initial use or after it is inspected or maintenanced, which sometimes leads to a worn or faulty endoscope being used.